Florida has more than 185 bicycle trails covering 1,588 miles.
To help shine a light on the fact that 60% of Florida live within one mile of bicycle facilities, Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared March as Florida Bicycle Month.
Bicycling regularly can increase cardiovascular fitness, improve joint mobility and decrease stress.
Florida has put together a website with bicycle trails across the state. Among the ones on the First Coast is the Amelia Island Trail, which stretches 5.7 miles from Peters Point Beachfront Park to Amelia Island State Park.
Much of the paved, tree-lined route parallels Highway A1A, a scenic byway, and the trail is part of the East Coast Greenway, a growing trail network stretching from Florida to Maine.
Bicycle safety awareness is among the goals of the governor’s proclamation.
Statewide, over half of traffic crashes resulting in serious or fatal injuries to pedestrians occur during dark or dusk hours. Bicyclists are reminded to always use a headlight, taillight and reflectors when riding at dusk or at night along with light-colored or reflective clothing.
Speed is a factor in approximately 30% of traffic crashes, with the state reminding motorists to slow down, especially in areas where people are known to bicycle and walk.
Approximately 40% of bicyclist fatalities in Florida are related to traumatic brain injuries – a stark reminder that every bicyclist should wear a properly fitted helmet.
Additional information about safe bicycling and walking is at AlertTodayFlorida.com.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
